2 weeks is hardly long enough to see but a glimpse of Thailand.  Still, I gave it a good shot - the main reason of my trip though, was to head to an orphanage about 7 hours north-west of bangkok for one week.  So I arrived in Bangkok for a day or so first, met up with the other volunteers and we headed up there.  On the way, we stopped at Kanchanaburi, and visited the tiger sanctuary a monk has set-up.  We als saw the bridge over the river kwai, (which oh how surprising, isnt so well known here in Japan!).  Then a few more hours up to Sangklaburi - the main town near the Childrens Home. 

The childrens home was a cool experience - although at times I felt a bit useless - i wanted to help, cook, clean, build, anything,.. but because we also donated the all precious money, they treated us a tad like royalty.  Ate really nice (vegetarian) food while there - i mean still kinda plain, rice, tofu, veges but the flavours made it seem like top notch cuisine!!  One day we, (the 10 or so volunteers) went elephant trekking and bamboo rafting - and for a quick jaunt up to the Burma border.  Also stayed one night on a floating house with all the kids - it was a real treat for them!! On my last day, Dada took the remaining 2 of us out to the village which he supports by enlisting woman to be part of a weaving project.  This was a true experience; to see what little possesions people have, and especially if they are nto Thai nationals then they are not helped by the Thai governement with even simple things like water. 

And then back to Bangkok on the day of the first (missed the bombings but it was still kinda tense the days afterwards so I didnt head out by myself at night etc).  Went on a day trip to the old capital (Ayutthya) which has ruins like Angkor Wat yet much smaller.  And then did the grand palace in Bangkok - must admit it was almost shocking at how much wealth there was there, especially after the poverty I had seen further north at the orphanage and surrounding villages. 

And now its back in Japan, to the cold, dry winter.. oh well.